Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-01-23
History of kissing.

The story runs that kissing was in-
troduced into England by Rowena, the
daughter of Hengist, the Saxon. At a
banquet which was given by the British
monarch in honor of his allies, the
princes, after presenting the brimming
beaker to her lips, saluted the astonished
and delighted Vortigern with little
kiss, after the manner of her own peo-
pie. Sc we'll did the kiss thrive in the
genial climate of England that, from
being an occasional luxury, it soon be.
came an everyday enjoyment, and the
English soon became celebrated far and
near as a kissing people. In fact, so
far had their celebrity spread in this
respect that when Cavendish the biog.
rapker of the great "child of honor,
Cardinal Wolsey," visited French
nobleman at his chateau, the lady of
the house on entering the room with
her train of attendant maidens, for the
purpose of welcoming the guests of her
husband, thus accosted him: "Foras-
much as ye be an Englishman, whose
custom it is in your country to kiss all
ladies and gentlewomen without offense,
AM although it be not SO here In the
realm, yet will l be so bold as to kiss
you, and so shall all my maidens."
Whereupon the rafters of the chateau
rang again with the heartiness of the
OSCILLATION, no doubt to the great salts
faction of the fair chatelaine herself,
her many and merry maidens, and above
all to Cavendish himself. In the reign
of Edward Nv guest was expected on
his arrival, and also on his departure,
to salute not only his hostess, but all
the ladies of the family. In fact, no
occasion was lost on which to bestow a
kiss, and Shakespeare makes bluff King
Hal say at Wolsey's banquet at Hamp.
ton Court Palace, after he had danced
with Anna Boleyn: Il were unman.
nerly to take you out and not to kiss
YOU" From England kissing found its
way to this country, though it is to be
regretted that the fathers of the country
were altogether too Puritanical. to give
the delicious pastime fill swing. 1t was
to be done decorously and in order, and
woe betide the loving husband who
dared to invade the senctity of the
Sabbath by kissing his wife on that
sacred day.
To such degree had the practice OF
kissing attained in England that ladies
were accustomed to use kissing comtits,
composed of ambergris and other in.
gregients, for the purpose OF sweetening
their breath. These, beyond all ques.
ton, were the forerunners of the
cachous, trix and other vile things with
which the ladies of the present day
taint their breath. "Their breath with
sweetm eats tainted are" says Mercutio.
When Whiteback was the ambassador
of Oliver Cromwell to the court Of
Christine of Sweden, the Queen one day,
accompanied by her ladies, dined with
him, and the Queen, nothing 10th, per
haps, for lesson. commanded the am
bassador to teach her suite the English
mode of salutation. Whteback fell to
| work at his pleasing task Immediately,
and after few "coy and pretty de-
fenses" from his pupils, soon found in
them the most apt of scholars and ready
to carry cut his instructions to the let
ter. But the practice of universal KISS
ing in England fell into disuse. In the
time of those ascetic monarchs, William
and Mary. it was very little practiced,
and from that time out continued to be
restricted to its proper use and en-
ployed only ON proper occasions--sach,
| for instance, as when beauty is caugh,
asleep or under the mistletoe, where il
Is always in order.-[St. Paul Globe.